Epilobium purpuratum
Common names
purple willow herb
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Decumbent, glabrous to glabrescent somewhat succulent perennial herb. Stems 40-200 mm long, distinctly purple-black, sometimes rooting at nodes. Petiole 1-17 mm long, fleshy. Leaves 4-16 x 3-8 mm, dark green, opposite, rather crowded, firmly fleshy to almost succulent, dark green, broadly elliptic to rotund, obtuse to rounded at apex, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margins entire, or obscurely serrulate with up to 4 blunt teeth on each side. Floweras solitary in leaf axils, at fist pendant becoming erect in fruit. Pedicel 10-35 mm long, bright purple. Ovaries 7-13 mm long, bright purple, glabrous. Floral tube 1-1,2 mm deep, 1.5-1.8 mm diameter, glabrous. Sepals 3-4.4 x 1-1.3 mm, bright purple, not keeled, glabrous or with a few strigose hairs. Petals 4.5-9 x 3-4 mm, white with pink veins, flushed pink after pollination, notch 1-1.8 mm deep. Anthers 0.8-0.9 x 0.4-0.5 mm, yellow. Long filaments 2-2.8 mm long, short 0.8-1.8 mm long, white. Style 1-1.4 mm, white, stigma 1.5-2 x 0.6-0.8 mm, white, clavate. Capsule 12-40 mm long, purple, glabrous, erect, pedicle elongating,10-65 mm long. Seeds 1-1.2 x 0.4-0.5 mm, brown, papillose, coma 4-6 mm, white, caducous.
Similar taxa
A distinctive species recognised immediately by the rather succulent, fleshy, thick-set, dark green with dark purple underside leaves 4-16 mm long, purple-black stems, and purple capsules. In its high alpine habitat it is frequently found in association with the similar E. prophyrium which has a pink flush to the upper leaf surface and a curved pink rather than straight, erect, purple capsule.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island Mt Cook Region and eastern Otago (Mt Earnslaw, Hectors Col, West Matukituki, Pisa and Rock & Pillar Ranges)
Habitat
A high altitude alpine species occupying sites between 1300-1850 m in elevation. It is a species of unstable to fairly stable screes, fine grained gravels lodged within boulderfalls, and on occasional a rupestral dwelling on shaded ledges and cliff faces.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
Threats
A naturally uncommon, narrow range endemic of high-elevation habitats. There is no evidence that it has ever been threatened by browsing animals.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Onagraceae
Synonyms
None
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - January
Fruiting
November - April
Life cycle
Minute pappate seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Unknown. Has been cultivated in the past and probably does well in an alpine house.
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Etymology
epilobium: From the Greek epi- ‘upon’ and lobos ‘a pod’, the flowers appearing to be growing on the seed pod.
purpuratum: Purplish
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
EPIPUR
Chromosome number
2n = 36
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Sparse
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Raven, P.H.; Raven, T.E. 1976: The genus Epilobium in Australasia. New Zealand DSIR Bulletin 216. Wellington, Government Printer.
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309
Webb, C.J.; Simpson, M.J.A. 2011: Seeds of New Zealand Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. Christchurch, Manuka Press.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 6 January 2008. Description adapted from Raven & Raven (1976) and Webb & Simpson (2001).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Epilobium purpuratum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/epilobium-purpuratum/ (Date website was queried)